We Remain
by Everlark7
Summary: Katniss and Peeta are home after the rebellion. This what I hoped would have happened between the end of the book and the epilogue.
1. Do I Deserve You?

**Chapter 1**

I sit at the counter eating bread Peeta just made. Its been 4 years since the end of the rebellion, and we've been living together, but he now owns a bakery that he works at for about 3 hours everyday. We're dating now at 3 years. _He should be home now_ I think. I hear the door open and there he is. I need to tell him, it's been bothering me all day, ever since Haymitch called. Haymitch _never _calls.

I don't realize I've been staring at Peeta. "Whats wrong?" He comes over to me. I feel his arms wrap around me and I feel that tingling feeling again.

_Now is the time to tell him._

_"_Peeta?" "Katniss?" "I need to tell you something." I take a deep breath." I don't think I deserve you." He bursts out laughing, but then he realizes I'm serious, so he stops. But I can still see the smile on his face he's trying to hide.

"Can I ask what makes you think that?"

I begin. "Ever since you gave me that bread I-"

"Katniss we've been over this before."

"I know, but just listen. Ever since you gave me the bread I feel like I owe you. Then in the reaping when they called your name, all I could think was 'No, not him!'"

"You really thought that?" He asks, smiling.

I nod.

"Then you declared your love for me, and you were just talking about how much you love me, when at the time I didn't love you back."

I feel tears well up in my eyes.

"Then the Quell. The first thing you did was go to Haymitch and say something about how you wanted to protect me. The first thing _I _did was go and cry. Then you got hijacked and I realized how much I didn't appreciate how you loved me so much. Especially when you tried to kill me. _Twice."_

Now the tears are in his eyes. "Katniss, you know I didn't mean to."

Now Im starting to sob. "I know but it was all my fault!It's all my fault you have a bad life. It's my fault your family is dead."

"Katniss, it's not your fault."

But I don't listen, " You have a way with words, Peeta. You know how to comfort me in the darkest of times, your my dandelion in the spring. But I can't do that to you because all I can really do is hunt!"

"The girl with the game."

"The boy with the bread."

We say it at the same time. We stare at each other in silence until I say what we are both thinking.

"You called me that?"

He nods,I continue.

"Haymitch even said that a could live a thousand lifetimes and never _ever _deserve you."

"So this is what it's about? What Haymitch said?"

I stand in silence.

"Katniss, you're the love of my life. I feel like the luckiest guy ever. I don't have a thousand lives, but if I could I'd spend them with you."

I think to myself, _see the way with words._

But also, I don't get where this is going until he gets down on 1 knee.


	2. Marriage

"Katniss 'Perfect' Everdeen"

I laugh because unlike most people in the ex-Capital, people in districs don't have middle names.

"I need you, and I want you here by my side every day for as long as I shall live. So will you please marry-"

I don't even let him finish the word marry because I pull him up and hug him to death and just start kissing him.

I want to think, but I say it anyway,"This is who I'm gonna be with and I'm not fine with that, I'm **PERFECTLY** fine with that. Oh Peeta, I just, I just, I just" Peeta wants to hear more, I know he does. Because he playfully pins me against the wall so happily. I love seeing him smile like this.

"Alright I'll say it, Peeta,I love you!"

And we start kissing for who knows how long,and he says sarcastically, " So I guess that's a no." " Oh Peeta I know your being sarcastic."

He insists going to District 1,using his money from the bakery, to celebrate.

"Peeta you have a bakery to keep watch over and I wouldn't want to ask you to spend all your money on me."

"But Katniss, I wanna go! We could go by train to District 1 and get a hotel down there for a couple days. It is luxury after all."

He's right, it would be fun, but why don't I want to go?

"Fine but I am going to use my money to go too."

"Alright."

We sit in silence, thinking.

"I HAVE AN IDEA!" Peeta screams

"What?"

"We could go to District 6, rent a boat, go to District 4, visit your mom! It's perfect because 4 has that big ocean with boats for rent! Or maybe we could go on a cruise or something..."

"Ok Peeta, if this is what you want..."

"Yes! I love you Katniss! This will be so much fun! Dream vacation with dream girl..."

"I've always wanted to see some of the districts, what better to see them with the boy with the bread?"

We both is the first time we actually were laughing in a long time. The environment is filled with joy,happiness, excitement, I just can't believe I'm getting married _AND_ seeing district 4,1 and 6! Two things I never thought I do.

* * *

I'm in bed waiting for Peeta when I hear "Yes OK, thank you!"

Peeta comes in "On Wednesday, a week from now , we are going to District 1 on train! It will take about 2 days to get there, and we will stay there for 2 days!"

"Wow! That's great!"

"But wait! There's more! There's a package!"

_Oh great_ I think sarcastically. _Hopefully this is good._

"I bought it because you said you wanted to see all the districts!" He says, "We are going to District 2 go see your favorite show, Hunting in the Woods , Stay there for 2 days, go to District 3 see the new iPanem, go to District 4 visit Annie, Finn and your mom. Then go to District 5-" I walk over to him and just start hugging him "Thank you" I say. " It means a lot that you bought this for me, and you, for"  
"_Us_" We say together.

"Come on Katniss, lets go to bed."

I feel happy about this trip, but for some reason I feel like I will meet someone, lets just say _unexpected._


	3. The Trip

Its the morning of the trip. I've never seen Peeta this happy. He woke me up with a smile and said "Time to go!" We get our stuff and head out the door.

We are driving to the train station and I ask how this is going to work.

"Well, we are going to all the districts and staying there for 2 days."

"Oh" I say. I am excited but Peeta seems too happy, and I don't want to say anything to ruin his mood. "I think this is going to be so much f-"

My phone rings.

"Hello?"

"Hi! This is Paylor! I saw you guys got the victory tour package! I was wondering, at the end of your expedition, you wanted to have your wedding right here in the Capital! We could arrange things and instead of 11 being your last stop it could be the Capital."

"Ill talk to Peeta"

"Ok Bye!"

I turn to Peeta.

"I didn't want to tell you."

I just stare out the window.

Visiting all the districts? At the end go to the Capital? They want to hold the wedding there? How do they even know about the wedding? I choose not to think about the last part. But I can think one thing,

This sounds too much like the Hunger Games Victory Tour.

* * *

We get to our compartment on the train. Peeta tells me to unpack. I am unpacking when I hear a knock at the door. I open it and then I feel a push and suddenly I am pushed down on the bed face-down. "Peeta!" I scream. "Peeta!" "Peeta wont save you this time." The voice says. But I know that voice better than anyone, it was Gale. "I think you should be with me." He says. "And I think you should leave." I say, "But it looks like we can't get what we want." I hear a door open. Its Peeta. Peeta screams at Gale, "WERE YOU HURTING HER? DID YOU HURT HER?" I feel Gale lifted off of me. I don't even have to think about it, the first thing I do is run into Peeta's arms. He squeezes my hand reassuringly and holds me protectively. Gale backs off, "Hey! Didn't mean to do anything! I just wanted to see Katniss." "See her?" Peeta says, "You nearly killed her if I hadn't walked in!" "But I didn't, did I? I just thought that if I came Katniss would love me again. I mean who would like you anyway Peeta?"

That's it he did it, I escaped from Peeta's grip and I closed in on Gale. I feel my temper rising and I shout, " Again? I never loved you and never will! Its always been Peeta and it always will be!" "Will it?" Gale says. I nod. "Well is it the same for Peeta? Does he love you?" I look at Peeta. "Of course it is! I loved her since I was 5! She's all I ever wanted." " I love you" I say. "I love you too" Peeta says. I go in his arms again and he's holding me as to protect me from Gale, which he probably is." Yeah, yeah so sweet." Gale says. " But would it change for either of you if 2 people came through that door? Come in now!" He calls.

Its Delly Cartwright.

The words sear through my body its even worse than the Hunger Games. " I love you." She says. Peeta swallows. " And I love Katniss." He says.

"And for you Katniss? If you want this you have to keep me." Gale says.

He drags the body of Primrose Everdeen through the door.


	4. Jealousy

I stumble to the ground and say softly, "Prim."

Then I look up and start saying to the stupid ex-best friend who killed my sister, how did he get her body anyway? " GALE! I KNEW IT WAS YOU! YOU KILLED PRIM! I HATE YOU SO SO SO SO SO MUCH! AND YOU EXPECT ME TO BE WITH YOU? WHY WOULD I EVEN WANT THE BODY OF PRIM? THE REMINDER OF MY SISTERS DEATH! NO, THE EVEN WORSE REMINDER OF MY SISTERS DEATH IS YOU! SO THATS WHY YOU CANT BE ON EARTH ANYMORE!"

Peeta looks at me nervously and says, "You know, I really do hate Gale, but I think this is getting too far. We fought _against_ people killing other people. Remember?" Delly comes up and starts holding Peeta and I cant help but get jealous. Peeta is _mine _and is only mine! Maybe I should kill Delly too. _No Katniss don't think like that._ I hear Peeta's voice in my head. I see he's looking at me. Can he read my mind? He nods his head yes. Ok this is really creepy. But if he can read my mind, then I can read his because he spoke the voice in my head! Ok lets test this out, I think. I want Delly to stop hugging Peeta, so will he pull away?

"Ok Delly you got your time to hug me, but I don't like you at all. I like Katniss, so will you please stop?" "Ok boy with the bread, if that's what makes you happy." Now I feel anger, jealousy, and rage inside me. That's what _I_ call him. And I know Peeta has loved me for about 16 years, but I still love him more than he thinks.

The rage gets too high, high enough that I remember that Gale is there and so I knock him unconscious.

* * *

_I am running, running everywhere, but everywhere I turn Peeta is always there kissing Delly. Pulling her close like he does to me, I scream. Then Peeta says , "Who needs Katniss?" _

I wake up screaming and crying. Peeta is right there to comfort me. "Peeta, are you here?"

"Of course I am here."

"Don't ever leave me."

"I will stay here with you. Always."

We here a knock at the door.

"Hey Peeta, it's Delly!"

"Oh gosh." I say as I roll over and put my head on the pillow, blocking out any sounds of Delly. She comes in. "Hey sweetheart! This is what I am gonna do. I am gonna takes this knife and plunge it into Katniss' heart! That way your _only _choice is to be with me. Who needs Katniss?"

_Who needs Katniss? _The words ring through my body. "I do. And if she dies I die with her."

I didn't realize I was crying until Peeta turns me over. "Shhh. It's okay she's gone, shhh. Do you want to talk about it?" I burst out sobbing,"You've always been popular, and all the girls loved you, they wanted you. So just being here is _everything _to me Peeta, and sometimes I just get so jealous."

"Shhh Katniss it's all right, let's go to sleep now." His arms wrap around me and he says I really did like you when I was 5." "I know. And I love you for that." I close my eyes and then Delly barges open the door and says,"I told you not to mess with me!"

And then she throws the knife directly at the heart,

Of Peeta.


	5. Katniss

**PEETAS P.O.V.**

Oh. I close my eyes and think, this is it, I am going to die in a few seconds. Why would Delly do this? I thought we were friends. She was the one in the rebellion to help me realize I love Katniss. I keep waiting for the knife to hit me, but it doesn't. I open my eyes just in time to see that Katniss is jumping in front of me, which has the knife dig straight into her arm. "KATNISS!" But it's too late. She's gone. Or at least I think she is. My life has been taken away from me. And it's all her fault. Dellys. Katniss is gone. My life goal was to protect her, and now I've failed. "I knew she would jump in front of you." Delly said. I don't respond. Instead I take the knife out of Katniss' arm and throw it at Delly.

* * *

**KATNISS P.O.V.**

I succeeded! I protected Peeta , and that's what I was made to do. Am I dead? I open my eyes and I am in a hospital room, Peeta standing above me. "Katniss? Are you really alive?" I nod. He gets in the bed with me, and says, "I don't know why Delly would do this."

"Do you think she was jealous?"

"Jealous of you Katniss, your beautiful."

"Probably of you, you could go up to any girl in Panem and ask you to marry you, and they'd say yes."

"No that's not true, now lets go to sleep."

I fall asleep in his arms.

* * *

When I wake Peeta is still here. "Good Morning" I say in a whisper, and I kiss his forehead. The doctors say I can't go anywhere for a couple of weeks, so I decide to just pretend I'm asleep because Peeta woke up. I hear him say, "Is she OK? What happened to her?" The doctor says, "I think you'll be able to find out now." I pretend to stir and I wake up. But I don't hear him say, "She's alright" or "She just woke up" instead I hear, "I'm going to find out now." And he leaves. Then who was he talking about? What happened when I was unconscious? Who is he worried about besides me? Does he love me anymore? I start to cry. I know I don't deserve him, but I do need him and that's never going to change.

He comes in a couple minutes later, "She's alright." "Who's alright?" I ask suspiciously, and curiously. He comes in the bed and says, "I'm sorry, I know you'll never forgive me." Tears fall out like a storm. "You cheated on me." I say. He holds me closer and says," No,no,no Katniss, I didn't, don't cry. Shhhh. I love you. No, I almost killed Delly."

I look up. "What?" I ask. Peeta told me, before the Dark Days, there was a thing called April Fools Day, where people pull pranks on each other. Maybe he's just kidding. He nods and says, "My love for you got the best of me, I took the knife out of you when you were unconscious and threw it at Delly." "You know, Gale and Delly wouldn't be such a bad couple, they are both trying to go after us." I say randomly. He laughs. "So how is she?" I ask. " Well she's-" He goes to a chair and grips it so hard hid hand might break. He is having one of _those. _He hasn't had one in years. "Its ok Peeta, your alright. Your fine, its not real, not real." Peeta grips my hand and says, "Lets go to our room, I need to talk to you."

* * *

"Katniss, I found this out when I was talking to Delly, and she couldn't believe it."

"Believe what?"

"Katniss when I say this, I know you'll be upset but its OK, its for the best."

"What's for the best?"

"I know he was your best friend but-"

"Are you talking about Gale? Is he hurt after what I did? Where is he? I should go apologize."

Peeta stops me.

"Gale is dead"


End file.
